Growth Opportunities

Sometimes, growth opportunities are our own doings; sometimes, they come from others. As parents, this roadway goes both ways. Parents present these opportunities, and if you’re a parent, you bloody know that children present them, too.

Funnily enough, I don’t need help with growth opportunities. I liken myself to Clark Griswold, and while it’s humorous, it’s also not. So how that looks for me is something like this: I try something new (often mechanical), and what should be a quick job ends up taking much longer. Something odd happens. Then, I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to fix it. This happens over and over and over.

Admittedly, these situations have a tendency to frustrate me. My intention lately, though, is to hum and to find joy in the moments. I also try to keep in mind there’s probably a lesson in here. I wish I could say I do this all the time, but it’s a process in which I have to keep working at, keep in mind, and when I mess up, revisit it.

As parents, we presented an opportunity for one of our children. He was not happy! Parents, it really does help to be united, together, when you face these situations. My wife and I fortunately were united. As soon as our child found out the expectation of performing at Neyland Stadium in front of upwards to 100,000 people, he was not happy. As parents, we were adamant that he would, indeed, perform.

Initially, it was not good. In a sense, it was like grieving the possibility of being able to get out of this uncomfortable situation. As time progressed, he began making jokes about how he could get out of it. For example, he asked when we were getting our flu shots, suggesting we get them on gameday.

If you do not have a child in band, people have no idea how much preparation goes into it. They have ASRs (after school rehearsals) twice a week during school. They have band camp during peak summer for two weeks. They have impromptu rehearsals on special occasions like performing with the UTK band. It’s a lot. I don’t know if non-band folks understand it.

The day before, his school had an extra rehearsal. During gameday, they put in about 12 hours or so. It’s a lot of work!

But, you know what?

He had a blast. During gameday, he enjoyed himself.  He did not regret it. And, cool fact, he can say he performed in front of a sellout crowd at Neyland (which, by the way, is the most fun experiences I have had at football ever. If you get a chance, go!).

When you face growth opportunities, you’ll notice negativity in the form of thoughts. You might notice some obsessiveness about those negative thoughts. You might notice bodily discomfort. Find ways to combat the negativity; ground yourself; breathe; talk it out—it is always a great idea to put words to these things. As much as you are able, try to find positives. A key for me lately, for example, is humming. I don’t know why, but it helps me stay positive. I like to joke that these situations are not called “growing joys.” But, we can do our parts in making them less miserable.

Good luck!

#growingpains #joy #growth #mindset #positivity #negativity #Jesus